Tasmania the biggest loser in school funding deals

May 15, 2017

Federal Government leaked documents reveal that Malcolm Turnbull’s school funding plan for Tasmania is the worst of any state in Australia and our public schools will receive barely enough funds to keep pace with inflation and rising costs, the AEU said today.

Leaked documents[1] and letters[2] show that Tasmania will have the lowest indexation rate in per student funding of any state, meaning increases will barely keep pace with rising education costs.

“Tasmania is the poorest state with the highest proportion of disadvantaged kids yet Malcolm Turnbull is offering us the worst deal in the country and, incredibly, Will Hodgman is celebrating,” said AEU Tasmania President Helen Richardson.

Under Turnbull’s plan the indexation rate, or growth, of Commonwealth recurrent funding per student in Tasmanian public schools is just 3.9% over the next 10 years – the lowest of any state and a rate lower than for the state’s private schools.

“To claim that this plan is needs based is an absolute con. There will be next to no additional funds to meet student need in our public system and as the poorest state, instead of getting the best, we get the worst deal in Australia,” said Ms Richardson.

“Turnbull’s plan cuts $85M of Gonski funding from our schools in the next two years, alone, and then cuts the indexation rate so school resources go further backwards.”

“More and more kids will be denied the individual attention they need, class sizes will grow and those kids that need extra help with the basics like reading, writing or maths will be left behind.”

“Will Hodgman is applauding this betrayal of our children’s futures and toeing the Liberal Party line rather than standing up for our schools.”

“Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff[3] said generational disadvantage will be entrenched in our state if Gonski is cut but that doesn’t seem to bother Will Hodgman who is willing to sell out our kids’ education.”

“NSW is threatening legal action over Turnbull ripping up their Gonski deal while Will Hodgman is welcoming our six-year signed agreement being trashed – even though he pledged[4] to fight for it.”